Day 12 June 20

After looking at Motorcycle hill for a couple of days, and being intimidated by it, today we get to try it.

Today we moved food for our summit attempt to 16,200ft. We brought 3 days of food, that was snacks, 3 dehydrated dinners and breakfasts. This would be all we needed when we’d try for the summit. We would not come back up unless, or until, there was a 3 day weather window to attempt to summit. RMI has a (permanent) cache at 17,000 ft, with more food, tents and cooking gear. This would minimize our overall carry to 17,000. We travelled about 2 miles total – doesn’t seem that far- but went 2,000ft up and down. So, yes it was, steep. Literally straight up!

We headed out at 8:30am. It was cold, about 15F. Surprisingly we were the only team looking to head out at that time. We are surprised in general, that so many teams wait and walk in the heat of the day, where the temps are high, and the snow is slushy.

We had about 1,200ft of steep up hill, until we met the bergschund, and we transitioned to fixed lines. On the steep uphill section it’s important to kick in with your crampons to ensure a good fitting, one foot, rest, kick with the other foot, rest, and on, and on. We took one break on the way to the fixed lines. The camp below was getting smaller, but the view was just getting better. As we approached the bergschund, Dominic dug out a shelf for us to rest. We would leave our walking poles here, as they are no help/a hindrance on the fixed lines on the fixed lines. Fixed lines are used where the slope is very steep, and extra assistance is needed. (We connect to a fixed rope (line) with an ascender, which provides an extra connection point to the mountain. The ascender slides on the rope, and can’t move backwards. However, you don’t (or are not supposed to) use the ascender to pull yourself up).

Crossing the bergschund – which in reality is a crevasse – was a manouver, not achieved on the first attempt, as one pulled oneself upward, and across this gaping slit in the ice, and then a large step up to engage the fixed line.

On the fixed lines we were climbing on blue ice. The blue ice is super hard, and takes a decent “kick” to engage the crampon. Amazing, but not always as assuring as packed snow. Communication on the fixed lines is important. The person ahead gives notice that he has reached a picket, or knot, and has to disengage from the fixed line, and re-attach above the picket. Moving on the fixed lines was less trying than on the earlier steep sections, as each step really moves you upward, and the rope does help!The views behind us back to camp, Mt Foraker, Mt Hunter, and the Kahiltna glacier were astonishing, but nothing compared to the views we had the luck to see when we reached the top of the lines, at the beginning of the West Buttress.

Steep falloff’s on both sides, with Mt Foraker, etc to the south, and the Peter glacier to our north. The vastness of the Alaska range is incredible, with mountains in all directions. What a privilege to see this. As we admired the views, and ate some snacks, Dom, Ben, and Mike buried the food and other stuff we brought up.

The descent was more taxing than the ascent. No ascenders on the descent!! Our connection to the fixed line is by wrapping the rope around your arm and descending slowly – with this massive 2,000 foot slope in front of you.

Another embarrassing attempt to cross the bergschund, pick up the hiking poles, and then the final 1,200 feet to camp.

So far the weather has been on our side, but it looks like that’s about to change. Winds are going to increase to over 30mph, which will make it too cold above 17,000ft, so we’ll have to sit and wait. Pity, as we were on record pace!